The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1887-02-25


Upon Their U"aith-It Does Not
I"Jure Them.
NOTES ON sUPERINTENDING.
Never criticise teacher before the
class. Such criticism weakens the
pupils respect for the teacher, which
brings disastrous results. All criticism
should be- made TO the teacher in pri.
vatc,
Never criticise teachers work un.
less you can give better method, OF
give reference to books. or other teach.
ers, from which the information may
be gained. No skilled physician would
think his work complete when he had
only informed the patient that he was
sick.
Make few criticisms at time. One,
only, is better than more. Upon this
one weak point the teacher can strength.
en- herself until your next visit when
she should BE- told whether she has i'm
proved or not
The most pronounced weakness Of
teacher. or class, should receive the first
attention. II would be considered folly
to fall to killing mosquitoes, with a lion
roaring in the room for prey.
Dou't give your opinion of teachers
work. in percentages. To tell teacher
that her ''order" is so on scale of 100
means both much and little to her
much, because she feels herself in dis.
grace, liable TO lose her position; little.
because it gives her no information as
TO the particular line of disorder, and
in despair she feels that all is wrong.
The result is that, feeling that ..some.
thing must be DONE" she is wrought up
to a pitch of intense excitement, watches
each move as q cat watches mouse,
speaks in an unnatural, irritable voice,
magnifies the intent and Importance Of
small misdemeanors, scolds and frets al
innocent and guilty alike. resorts to Q
series of set punishments for specific Of
fences, watches for these offences, never
allows herself to laugh. or even smile,
in presence of the school, and in due
course of time succeeds in making her
pupils perfectly miserable and causing
them to hate her with a hatred that
knows no bounds. which is duly report.
ed to the superintendent, bringing
about the very catastrophe she is work.
ing to avert, the loss of her position.
Instead of leaving upon the teachers
desk card marked, "Order, so; voice
IS; recitation, 80; neatness, 80; disci-
pline, 75;" etc, leave a note saying,
Your order in some respects is good,
but see too much communication.
Strive to break that up. Your voice lie
raised to too high pitch in speaking.
Be careful. You should never speak
above the natural key. Use your parlor
voice always. The recitations are very
fair, but observe that the bright ones
only are called upon. Call out the dull
ones first; then, if they fail. after due
precaution in finding If they understand
the question. call upon the bright ones
The dull ones need the care, the bright
ones will take care of themselves l OBJ.
serve many pieces of paper upon the
floor; it is we'll to require pupils TO give
:heir attention to the matter at sci
times-say before each recess and dis
missal, and at other set times If this
does not seem sufficient. Allow one
pupil to pass the waste-basket, into
which the others are required to drop
all wasre-paper that may be found upon
the floor, or on or in the desks In dis
cipline you are not quite firm enough.
Firm, but kind should be your motto. "
etc.
When the teacher reads such COM
ments and such advice, she has some
foundation on which to place her struct-
ure of Improvement. All is not blank
or worse.
Don't post little bills up IN all the
odd corners, nor placard every door
with rules of government The very
necessity of such course is only proof
convincing to the pupils that they have
the upper hands of the government, and
this acts rs an incentive to new schemes
for circumventing the governing power.
Don't make show of your authority
when you enter a schoolroom. The
pupils will soon learn to become imme-
diately very quiet ut your entrance,
hence you will be able to judge Of the
general order of the room.
Don't allow the teachers to threaten
the children with you. While this course
acts as bugbear for time, il the
threats are not fulfilled the pupils soon
cease to heed them; if they are fulfilled
they learn that the power exists in the
superintendent, not in the teacher;
hence all respect for the teachers COM
mand is lost, except those commands
end with threat of the superintendent
Farther, the children soon learn to
loathe the person whose name 10, TO
them, associated only with pain.-G,
4! Johnson, IN Journal of Education.